Malaysia hopes its military-ruled Southeast Asian neighbour Thailand will soon return to democracy and will resolve the unrest in the Muslim-majority region, a minister said today.

"We have important and close relationship with Thailand," Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar was quoted as saying by Bernama news agency in Johore.

Syed Hamid confirmed that Thailand's military-installed premier Surayud Chulanont would visit Malaysia on Wednesday and will hold talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Malaysia would welcome Surayud and wanted to see Thailand return to democracy and peace restored in the country, he said.

Surayud will visit Laos and Cambodia over the weekend.

First trip

It will be his first trip abroad since he was sworn in as Thailand's new prime minister on October 1, replacing Thaksin Shinawatra who was overthrown in a bloodless coup on September 19.

Malaysia shares a common border with troubled southern Thailand. More than 1,500 people have been killed since the violence erupted in January 2004.

The region was an ethnic Malay sultanate until Buddhist Thailand annexed it a century ago. Separatist unrest has simmered ever since, although organized border crime is also thought to play a part in the violence.